1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of integrated circuits and surface mount technology (SMT). More specifically, the present invention is directed to an improved solder paste brick design for reducing voiding caused by volatized flux gases trapped within solder joints formed between ball grid array (BGA) integrated circuit (IC) devices and printed circuit boards (PCBs), chip carriers, or other similar components, during reflow soldering processes.
2. Description of Related Technology
Surface mount technology (SMT) is increasingly being employed as a cost-effective means of mounting IC devices to printed circuit boards. Numerous different techniques for mounting integrated circuit devices to circuit boards, chip carriers, or other components fall within the general category of SMT. Of these techniques, area array (as opposed to perimeter array) technology is often used to mount high I/O density packages with a great degree of reliability and manufacturing efficiency. Area array techniques include the use of pin grid arrays (PGAs), column grid arrays (CGAs), and ball grid arrays (BGAs). The more recent BGA and CGA techniques provide substantial improvements over PGA methods in that higher densities, reliability, and efficiency can be obtained for many types of packages.
Common BGA package configurations include ceramic (CBGA) and plastic (PBGA), as well as micro-BGA (MBGA). Each of these types of packages has its own attributes, which are also well understood in the field of SMT. Package outline specifications are presented in industry standards such as the joint industry council (JEDEC) publication 1995. In addition to individual IC devices, multi-chip modules or chip carriers can also be effectively surface mounted using area array techniques.
As the name implies, ball grid arrays (BGAs) utilize a grid or array of electrical terminals, such as solder bumps or balls arranged on one side of the IC package to effectuate electrical contact with the circuit board. The solder bumps of the array may vary in material, size (height and width) and pitch (i.e., bump-to-bump spacing) based on the individual package. Standard bump heights may range from less than one to several millimeters. Standard pitches in common use are 1.00, 1.27, and 1.50 mm (PBGA) and (CBGA) and 0.5 mm (MBGA). Additionally, the solder bumps may be arranged in a uniform or non-uniform array pattern, with some leads removed in certain areas, which is referred to as "depopulation," depending on the desired attributes of the package.
Solder bumps or balls are typically attached to the pads of a PCB using a eutectic solder paste which holds the BGA device onto the PCB during the reflow process. The solder paste typically consists of a thick viscous fluid-like substance, called flux, which is mixed with tiny solder particles, or "spheres", to form the paste. Solder paste "bricks" are formed from the eutectic solder paste and positioned within the perimeter of each pad in order to make contact with the solder ball terminals of the BGA device. The flux, within each solder paste brick has a consistency and "tackiness" similar to that of honey and sticks to the solder ball terminals with which it comes into contact.
After the BGA device is attached to the PCB as described above, the BGA device is mounted to the PCB using reflow solder processing techniques. Reflow solder processes generally use forced convection heating (air or nitrogen) to melt and reflow solder balls and/or paste interposed between the surfaces to be joined. The BGA device and PCB assembly is then exposed to a temperature profile which results in reflow of the solder. Surface tension created in the resulting solder liquid mass during reflow tends to prevent collapse of the solder, causing the joint to eventually solidify in a barrel or truncated sphere shape that is commonly referred to as a Controlled Collapse Chip Connection, or "C-4". Numerous variations on this general theme exist, including the use of two more different solders with various melting points to produce reflow of various portions of the joint during different processes, or to allow rework.
Attachment of a PBGA device, for example, onto a PCB is typically accomplished by using solder paste bricks which are formed by screen printing eutectic solder paste onto an array of solder pads on the PCB. A typical method of screen printing includes the step of placing a solder paste stencil, having apertures that are of the same shape as the desired solder paste bricks, onto a PCB such that the apertures are aligned with the pads of the PCB. Solder paste is then applied to the unmasked areas, and the stencil is subsequently removed. The PBGA device is then placed on the PCB such that the solder ball leads contact the solder paste bricks on the etched pads. The entire assembly is then passed through a reflow process which applies a predetermined time/temperature profile to the solder paste bricks to liquify the solder paste bricks and the solder balls of the PBGA device, thereby forming solder joints between the BGA device and the pads of the PCB. The fully reflowing solder joints, coupled with the relatively large solder joint pitch (compared to leaded devices) allow the package to self-align during reflow through the equalization of surface tension forces, as described above. The self-alignment feature of the PBGA is largely responsible for the high assembly yields observed with this package in production.
FIG. 1 depicts a typical prior art surface mount of a BGA IC device 101 having solder ball terminals 103 aligned on top of solder paste bricks 105 which are positioned on top of contact pads 107 of a printed circuit board 109. FIG. 2 is a side view taken along lines 2--2 of FIG. 1, of the BGA IC device 101 positioned on top of the PCB 109 such that the solder ball terminals 103 are aligned on top of corresponding solder paste bricks 105, which are deposited on top of etched pads (not shown) of the PCB 109.
One of the main disadvantages of the BGA technology from a manufacturing perspective is that the solder joints are hidden under the package instead of being visible along the device perimeter. Another disadvantage is that individual lead touch-up is not possible; the entire device must be removed and reworked if even a single connection is faulty. In addition, the equipment and overhead required to inspect and rework a faulty BGA component is expensive and time-consuming. The penalty to a manufacturer who creates a faulty BGA solder joint is very high; therefore, it is desirable to create an assembly process that has the best chance of avoiding defects.
The formation of solder paste bricks by solder paste screening is one of the most important steps in BGA assembly, and effective control of the paste deposit is a key to high yield manufacturing of BGAs. BGA components depend on solder paste bricks for providing either flux or a combination of flux and solder for attachment of the component to the PCB. However, a serious problem associated with soldering BGA devices onto a PCB with the use of solder paste bricks, is that volatized flux gases are often trapped within the resulting solder joint, causing voiding in the solder joint.
As part of the reflow cycle, the solder paste bricks go through a soaking temperature zone, in which the flux begins to boil and evaporate, but the solder balls of the BGA device and the solder spheres of the solder paste do not melt. It is during this soaking temperature zone that flux gases can migrate out of the solder joint and thus not cause voids. However, all of the volatized flux gases formed during the soaking temperature phase often do not escape the solder paste brick before the solder balls of the BGA and the solder spheres of the solder paste bricks begin to melt and reflow, at which point the volatized flux gases may become trapped in the melted solder joint formed by the solder balls and the solder paste bricks. As the solder joint cools and hardens, these volatized flux gases become permanent voids within the solder joint which can affect the mechanical properties of the joint and deteriorate the strength and the fatigue life of the joint. Voids can also produce spot overheating, hence reducing the reliability of joints. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a solder joint 111 formed between BGA device 101 and a pad 107 of a PCB 109. A void 113 caused by entrapped flux gasses, as discussed above, is shown within the solder joint 111.
The emergence of BGA technology has addressed the need for higher circuitry density and has also provided a more efficient way to solder IC's onto a PCB. However, frequent occurrences of large voids in the BGA assembly pose a great concern about the reliability of soldered joints formed under a BGA device. The presence of voids, as discussed above, cause problems in joint reliability and performance.
In view of the foregoing problems associated with BGA devices in SMT applications, what is needed is an improved method and/or apparatus which reduces the amount of voiding in the solder joints formed during the reflow process.